Every major guidebook company from Lonely Planet to Let’s Go makes at least one London guidebook.
Most guidebook companies also make a book on England and/or the UK as a whole, as the country’s territory and diversity of places to visit make for enough material for a full guidebook.
If you’re only planning on visiting London, getting a specific guidebook for the city is a good idea. For example, Lonely Planet’s book on London gives good in-depth coverage of London and the surrounding areas.
If you’ll be visiting lots of places in England or the UK, getting a larger guidebook like The Rough Guide to the UK is a good idea. If you’re handy with scissors, you can cut out the chapters you need and leave the rest of the guidebook at home to save room as you pack your bags.
Once you know what size UK, England or London guidebook you need, shop around for an guidebook that fits your travel style. If you’re backpacking, Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, and the Rough Guide are some of the best guidebooks.
If you’re going upscale, look into guides like the Hg2 London (A Hedonist’s Guide to London), the Wallpaper Guide to London, or the LUXE guide to London that offer more high-end suggestions for hotels, restaurants, and shopping.
If you love sightseeing, consider picking up the Eyewitness Travel Guide to London. With photos and illustrations on every page, the Eyewitness London guidebook is great for explaining the details of London’s many historic buildings and landmarks.
On a budget? A lot of the best deals on London guidebooks can be found on websites where travelers that have just returned from London are selling their books. If you’re lucky you can get a copy with good notes and suggestions written in!
One last tip on finding the best London guidebooks: check the date the guidebook was published. If it is more than a year old, don’t buy it. Things change so quickly in London that an old guidebook will be of little use to you today.
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